A night out in downtown New Braunfels just got a little more delicious.

188 South, a new concept from Krause’s Cafe owner Ron Snider, quietly opened in early August at 188 S. Castell Ave. The restaurant is located directly next to Krause’s in a building formerly occupied by the New Braunfels Herald Zeitung and KNBT radio, and more recently, Blue Moose Pizza and an unrelated restaurant also named 188 South.

“We believe that 188 South is bringing something really unique to New Braunfels, and we’re excited to add another place where the community can come together to dine, drink and enjoy each other’s company,” Snider said in a media release. “Guests of 188 South can expect to find a rarely done concept that we're confident they will love.”

Those unique touches include a ceiling-mounted ice maker at the bar that feeds a mountain of crushed ice where bottles are chilled and fresh ingredients used in the cocktails are displayed. A carbon dioxide-fueled blast chiller is used to instantly freeze glasses. And foodies can watch as employees hand-pull mozzarella cheese and prepare other ingredients at an open presentation station.

The newcomer’s kitchen is helmed by Krause’s executive chef Jeremy Acuna, who’s serving a tidy menu of pizzas cooked in a hybrid gas- and wood-burning oven and shareable small plates made with produce from the nearby New Braunfels Farmers Market. The menu is expected to change regularly depending on seasonal availability of that market produce.

Advanced Sommelier and wine educator Jason Banks leads the bar, which features a curated selection of wines and craft cocktails. The classic pre-prohibition canon and modern bar techniques will both inform the cocktail list, which includes several barrel-aged offerings.

188 South is currently operating with limited hours and will make it’s full debut Aug. 31. The restaurant will be open 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 4 to 10 p.m. Friday, and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday. Lunch and brunch hours will come in the near future. The restaurant’s website is still in development, more at Facebook: @188SouthNBTX.